Rest Easy......I've Got the Watch!

I said good bye to Maria early this morning and the USS BLUE RIDGE set sail on yet another Patrol of the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR). We will hit some very cool foreign ports and a few I haven't been to.

I won't be home for many weeks and both of us are growing tired of the separation - but Service to Country and the Needs of the Navy are what it's about right now. Well...until my retirement NEXT APRIL! 361 DAYS LEFT!

Maria will stay busy by working, volunteering in the military community and her EXTREME couponing habit! YES --- she saves us HUNDREDS of dollars a month. I'm at awe how she does it. She has her method and it's amazing!

So my friends and family.....Rest Easy, I've Got the Watch tonight.

Back in the Blogging Game!!!

Back! I've talked with some of you in emails, Facebook or chat; so everyone knows the plan. Fulltime RV next April and change our course on "service to country" by Fulltime Volunteering within the National Park Service, Corps of Engineers, State and County Parks and maybe Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Wildlife Agency.

I've served 25 years as an Active Duty Sailor and Maria has served as a spouse (the ABSOLUTE HARDEST job in the Navy!!) and served as a Early Childhood Development Teacher for military children for the last 17 years!

We have served to protect this great country and now we want to serve in a different way. Another adventure to conquer!!

We are very excited about this and hope you all will enjoy following our mission to serve and travels.

For all those FULLTIMERS on the road now.....save us some tar!

364 days left!!

OK...OK....Yes - It's been a very long time....

Well...I don't want to write a novel here...but a lot to catch up on. So let's see:

As of last night - I'm on FACEBOOK! Never thought I'd do that -- but I have this strong desire to catch up with friends I haven't seen/chatted with for freakin ages! I've already met up 4 of them! WOW...that fast...REALLY?!

I have orders to the USS BLUE RIDGE (Japan) with a stop at the Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, RI. So as I'm driving cross-country....I'll stop by and see these friends that I haven't seen in ages! This will be fun!

I will chronicle my day while I'm driving cross-country -- and posting pics - so stay tuned for that. My trip starts 10 July!

Maria and the boys are doing good! All is well in the Borba household.

We're going to be taking the motorhome out soon -- so stay tuned for some pics on that.

Well...that should do it for now...LOL!

Take care!

Not Deploying - Renewing RV Blog

As I wrote on my "SailorPlayingSoldier" blog, I am not deploying. So I need to get back into the groove of our RVing lifestyle (for now just weekend trips).

I need to do some maintenance on my RV and will probably start this next week. I will be taking a few days of leave to get some work done and that is on the top of my list.

Maria and I want to take the RV out by the end of September - probably a 3-day trip to Morro Bay.

I will start the last leg of my BS degree next semester - I have 7 classes left to completion. But I won't indulge in school like I have this last year because I really believe that had something to do with my out of control BP - and I do not want to go down that road again.

I'll try to get into the RVDreams Chat Room more, and I will keep up with my favorite blogs.

Be safe.

A New Blog for my Deployment!

Friends, Family, and Shipmates: I've started a blog to chronicle my adventures on this upcoming IA deployment to Afghanistan, refer to: http://www.sailorplayingsoldierinafghan.blogspot.com

I really hope you enjoy this blog. I will update everyday until I start my training. After that it will be sporadic as internet capability can be grueling in a training environment and of course, in "theater" (Afghanistan).

I will update this blog from time to time. But we will not be doing anymore RV trips until I return next May/June (yes 2010)! So this blog will be used to chronicle what is going on with my family. So I know that's TWO blogs - but I think you can muster up enough time to read them as this one won't be everyday...more like maybe a week or month. Basically, when I have something grand to announce.

Be safe!

Steve

Another Deployment on the Horizon.....

As some of you may know, I've been chosen to go on a special assignment to Afghanistan. I guess this is what happens when you get advanced (LOL)!!

The military term for this assignment is "Individual Augmentation (IA)". The IA will be to Afghanistan. I will not publish any dates - as we say in the Navy "loose lips sink ships". So I won't go about that business, but I will start a blog to chronicle my entire experience on this IA.

Once I have started the blog, I'll let everyone know.

Safe travels -

Steve

Congratulations Joseph!!

Our oldest son, Joseph, has graduated High School!! We are very proud of him. He had a rough Senior year, but between Maria and I we got him to that graduation day.

He now has his sights set on going into the United States Marine Corps! I guess he thinks his Uncle Shane (USMC GySgt) is more cool than his Dad (USN Senior Chief). I know whatever he chooses, he'll do well. We are glad he's going into the military - many great benefits for those that are active duty. One of which will be someone other than Dad being a pr+ck! I think he'll understand that - oh - about 5 minutes after he gets off the plane and he is "introduced" to his Drill Instructor!! At any rate, it will be good for him.

I hope he'll heed my financial advice - I think I'll talk to him "after" he gets out of Boot Camp. He may realize Dad has always been on his side and might be a little more willing to listen.....(Ahhhh - You think?)

Anyway - we are proud of our Joey and we wish the very best for him as he matures into manhood!

Safe travels -